Car truck and method of assembling the same



May 11 1926. l 1,584,133

H. M. PFLAGER C'AR TRUCK AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLING THE SAME Filed June '7. 1924 ,ISA

Patented May 11, 1926.

HARRY M. IPFLAGER, 0F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI,

COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A

ASSIGNOR TO COMMONWEALTH STEEL CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CAR TRUCK AND METHOD 0F ASSEMBLING THE SAME.

Application mea :une 7,1924. seriai No. 718,516.'

My invention relates to railroad rolling jacent journal boxes 3 are the'elevated ends stock and consists in an improved truck construction and an `improved method of assembling the truck frame journal boxes and equalizer bars.

My invention is particularly applicable to trucks of the type utilizing what is known as a depressed equalizer bar in which the ends of the bar rest upon the tops of the .journal boxes and the intermediate portion of the bar is locate-d at a substantially lower level and in .my Adescription the term depressed refers to such a bar as distinguished from a substantially straight bar resting upon the tops of the journalboxes.

For the purpose of describing my invention, car trucks may be said-to comprisetwo types, one in which the truck frame and pedestals are formedintegrally and the de pressed equalizer bars are divided, i. e., arranged in pairs, one member of each pan' being on the outside of the pedestals and the other member of each pair being on the inside of the pedestals. In the other type of truck, the frame and pedestals are made separately, the pedestals being bolted or otherwise attached to the frame, and in this type each equalizing bar is formed of a sin lev member located between the front anback faces of the pedestals.

The object of my invention is to provide a construction which will permit the use of a single equalizing bar with an integral pedestal and frame structure or, if separate pedestals are used, will permit theassernbl thereof with the frame before the equalizer bars are assembled therewith.

I n the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a six wheel truck embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse section through the frame and one pedestal illustrating the assembly of the equalizer bar therewith.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of a four wheel truck embodying my invention.

The truck comprises the usual wheels 1, axles 2, carrying journal boxes which are mounted in pedestals 4 and 4i so as to slide vertically therein. The truck frame includes Wheel pieces 5 and in Figures 1 and 2 the wheel pieces 5 and pedestals 4 are shown as being formed integrally.

Resting upon the upper faces of the ad- 6 and 7 ofthe equalizer 4bars, the intermediate portions 8 of which are located at a s ubstantiallylower level extending below the journal boxes. `It will be understood that the truck frame is supported'upon the equalizers throughsprings 9 in the usual manner and that the other truck details may be of .any familiar construction and form no essential part o f the present invention.

The pedestals are of the familiar inverted U-shaped type andeah pedestal has at least one leg slotted `longitudinally of the truck for the passage therethrough of the end of the equalizer bar. The central pedestal has both legs so slotted while in the end pedestal it is only necessary to have the leg opposite the central pedestal slotted in this manner. The slots in the' central pedestal are indicated at 10 and the slot in each of the end pedestals isv indicated at 11. It will be noted that the slots 10 are enclosed and this construction of the pedestal isa usual arrangement and permits relative vertical movement of the equalizer bar and pedestal as is required by the compression and expansion of springs 9.

Slots 11 in the end pedestals differ from slots 10 in that they extend downwardly to the lower end of the pedestal and permit the "orresponding endof the equalizer bar to be moved into the positions shown, or dropped therefrom through the open lower end of the pedestal'leg.

With this construction it is possible to y assemble the equalizer bar with the pedestals by first inserting the end 7` of the bar through the closed slot in the central pedestal, the bar taking a position approximating that indicated by ,dot and dash lines in Figure 1, and the end 6 of the bar may then be swung upwardly into the position indicated in full lines. This operation will be performed before the axles and boxes are applied to the pedestals.

When the equalizer bar is in. position, I prefer to close the lower end of slot 1l and reinforce the inner leg of the pedestal and provide a. journal box guiding surface by providing a filler 12between the separated portions of the leg and securing the same in position by rivets 13 or similar means.

The lower ends of truck pedestal legs are usually connected by a tie bar such as indicated at 14 and the same bar may be used withA the end pedestals, having the downwardly open slot 11, by securing the tie bar 15 -to the fillerk 12 by bolts 16 or similar means corresponding to the bolts.17 which connect tie bar 14 to the integral lower ends of pedestal 4. v Y

In the modification illustrated in Figure 3 a four wheel truck is shown and one'of the end pedestals 18 is slotted in the usualmanner while the other pedestal 19 is provided with a downwardly open slot as are Ipliedestals 4'L in thesix wheel truck. The ller 21 for closing the `lower end of the slot in the pedestal is shown as` being formed integrally with the tie bar 22 .i and it will be understood that this integraliller and tie bar construction may be` substituted for that shown in Figures 1 and2. In this modification the' pedestals are shown as being formed separately from the wheel pieces and bolted or riveted thereto and it will be understood that this assembly of the pedestals and wheel piece takesplace before the equalizers arel applied.

The application and removal of the equilizer bar 20 to and from these pedestals may be effected in the samemanner as' the above described operation of the bars in the six wheel truck and in both of the forms illustrated in the accompanying drawings and in the forms shown 1n my copending applications, Serial-Nos. 718,517 and 718,513 and in such other modifications of my invention as will suggest themselves to those experienced in the art, there'is present the advantages of a single depressed equalizer combined with a wheel piece and pedestals formed integrally with each other or assembled before application of the equalizer.

Obviously, both of the pedesta-ls shown in Figure 3 may have one leg slotted full length for uniformity or to permit application of the ualizer through either pedestal. It may e noted also that the central desta] 4 of the six wheel truck may have l oth of its legs slotted throughout their len hs in which case the end pedestals cou d have legs of the ordinar structure and the outer ends of the equa izers could be ositioned first Aover the end journal box and) the ,inner ends of the equalizers could then be swung upwardly through the central pedestal into position.

In the drawings I have illustrated truck frames comprising a one-piece casting and having transoms 23, end pieces 24, connecting rails 25, and brake hanger lugs 26 formed integrally with .the wheel pieces and in Fi res 1 and 2, the pedestals 4 and 4." are a so formed' integrally with the truck frame. This is the preferred embodiment of in invention, alt ough as previously state the invention broadly may be applied to built-up truck frames in which any or al1 of the parts are assembled together cluding a wheel as are the pedestals .and wheel pieces indicated in Figure 3.

I claim:

1. In a car truck, a frame including a wheel piece, pedestals integral therewith,

. at least one of said pedestals having a permanently enclosed slot in its leg for receiving an equalizer bar, journal boxes in said pedestals, and a removable depressed equalizer bar carried by said boxes in the same vertical plane as said wheel iece.

2. `In a six wheel car truc a frame iniece, three pedestals integral therewith, journalboxes in said pedesta1s,and depressed equalizer bars carried by the central box and each end box, respectively, in they saine vertical lane as said wheel'piece.

3. In a car truck, a frame including a wheel piece, pedestals integral therewith, at least one of said pedestals having a vpermanently closed slot in one of its legs, journal boxes in said pedestals, and a removable equalizer bar extending through said pedestals with its ends above said boxes and its intermediate portions below the tops of said boxes.

4. In a car truck, a car truck pedestal lhaving a leg bifurcated parallel with the side of the pedestal, and a removable filler fitting between and reinforcing the separated portions of said leg and adapted to guide a journal box in the pedestal.

5. A car truck pedestalhaving a leg bifurcated lparallel with the side of the destal, a removable filler fitting between t e lower separated portions of said leg and adapted to guide a journal box mounted in the Dedestal, and securing elements for said 1er and leg portions.

6. In a car truck, a lframe, pedestals, one leg of one of said pedestals having an enclosed slot near its upper end and the opposite leg of another pedestal on the saine slde of the truck having a downwardly open s ot.

7. In a car truck, a frame, pedestals, one leg of one of said pedestals having an enclosed slot near its upper end and the opposite leg of another pedestal on tlie same side of the truck having a downwardly open slot, and an equalizing bar having its ends extending through said slots and its intermediate portions depressed.

8. In a six wheel car truck, a frame, a central and end pedestals spaced longitudinally of the same side thereof, said central peclestal having enclosed slots in its legs near the upper ends thereof and each of said end pedestals having a downwardly operi slot in the leg opposite said central pedestal, which slot extends upwardly to a point near the top of the leg.

9. In a car truck, a frame including a wheel piece, spaced pedestals, and a deiso 1,5s4,1sa

pressed equalizer bar in the same vertical lane as said wheel piece, axles and journal tioxes, one of said pedestals being adapted to permit removal of said bar without disassembly of said jpedestal from said wheel piece or removal o pedestals.

10. In a car truck, a frame including a wheel piece, spaced pedestals, one of which has a downwardly open` slot in its edge, axles and journal boxes, and a depressed equalizer bar in thesame vertical plane as said wheel piece and having elevated ends,V

projecting through the edges of said edestals, and having a depressed interme iate ortion connected to at least one of said ends by an inclined portion whereby said bar may be removed from both of said pedestals without removal of both journal boxes therein.

11 The method of assembling or disassembling an equalizer bar with a truck frame having a wheel piece and pedestals, consisting in pivoting said bar on one end and swinging its opposite end in a vertical plane beneath the wheel piece into or out of its assembled position adjacent the wheel piece.

12. The method of assembling an equalizer bar with a truck frame so that the equalizer lies in the same vertical plane as the wheel piece of the -frame, consisting in placing one end of the bar proximately in its assembled position, and raising the other end of the bar upwardly into its position.

13. The method of assembling an equalizer bar with a truck frame having spaced pedestals, which consists in inserting one end of the equalizing bar through a leg of one pedestal at a point near the top of the latter and swinging the other end of said bar upward] and longitudinally through a leg of the ot er pedestal-to move it into position near the to of the latter pedestal.

14. The metho of assembling an equalizer' bar with a truck frame having spaced pedestals which consists in insertin one end of the equalizing bar through a leg of one pedestal at a point near the top of the latter and swinging the other end of said bar upwardly and longitudinally lthrough a downwardly opening slot inthe opposing leg of the other pedestal to move it into position near the top of the latter pedestal and closing the open slot with a leg reinforcing member.

15. In a car truck, a oneiece frame including wheel pieces and peestals integral therewith, at least one of said pedestals having enclosed slots for equalizer bars, 'ournal boxes in said pedestals, and remova le depressed equalizer bars carried by said boxes in the same vertical nlanesas said wheel pieces.

the journal boxes in bothspaced transoms and 16. In a car truck, a frame including wheel pieces, pedestalsanda transom formed integrally with said wheel pieces, a leg on each of sald wheel pieces'havin an equalizer bar slot, at least one of the s ots for receiving each equalizer bar being closed at its lower end b a cross element formed integrally with the pedestal, journal boxes in said pedestals. and depressed equalizer bars carried by said boxes in the same vertical planes as said wheel pieces.

17. In a car truck, a frame including wheel pieces, pedestals, an end `piece and a transom formed intevrall with said wheel pieces, a leg on each o? sai wheel pieces having an equalizer bar slot, at least one of the slots for receiving each equalizer bar being closed at its lower end by a cross element formed integrally withv the pedestals, and journal boxes in said pedestals, and depressed equalizer bars carried by said boxes in the same vertical planes as said wheel pleces.

18. In a car truck, a frame including wheel pieces,'end pieces, a transom, and transom and. end piece connecting rails, and pedestals all formed integrally, a leg on each of said wheel pieces having an equalizer bar slot, at least one of thevslots for receiving each equalizer bar being closed at its lower end by a cross element, formed integrall f with the pedestals, journal boxes in said pediestalsZ and depressed equalizer bars carried by sald boxes in the same vertical planes as said wheel pieces. l

19. In a car truck, arame including wheel pieces, end pieces, a transom, and rtransom and end piece connecting rails and brake hanger lugs, and pedestals all formed integrally, a leg on each of said wheel pieces havmg'an'equalizer bar slot, at least joue of the slots for receiving each equalizer bar being closed at its lower `end by a cross element formed integrally" with the pedestals, journal boxes in said pedestals, and depressed equalizerbars carried by said boxes in the same vertical planes as said wheel pieces.

` 20. In a carvtruck,` a frame including a one piece casting including spaced wheel pieces, end pieces connecting spaced connecting rails between said wheel pieces and transoms, and 1pedestal's, a leg on each of said wheel pieces aving an equalizer bar slot, at least one of the slots for receiving each equalizer bar bcing closed at its lower end by a cross element ormed integrally with the pedestals, journal boxes in said pedestals, and removable depressed equalizers carried by said boxes in' the -same vertical planes as said wheel pieces.

Intestimony signature this 28th day of Mey, 1924:. p

` -H. M. FLAGER. I'

said wheel pieces,

whereof I hereunto ax mv' 

